The Basketball Tournament: Schedule, Prizes, Teams, Dates

There have been some odd events that take place over the summertime. One event that is getting a lot more attention this year is The Basketball Tournament. The event started last year and had 55 teams with a prize of $500,000. This year, there will be 97 teams and a $1 million top prize. The event will even get TV coverage on ESPN for the semifinals and championship game on Aug. 1-2.

The tournament itself will begin in mid-July and according to ESPN will feature more than 40 former NBA players. This may be the most interesting tournament since the actual NCAA Tournament the way it all sounds and the fact that ESPN is involved in broadcasting it just gives it even more attention. This has the potential to become a summer staple if it takes off even more than it did going into this year.

For this many former NBA players to be involved and with some many great college basketball players playing for $1 million, the competition is going to be worth even moment to watch. ESPN will probably find a way to get more coverage of the regionals as well. The question will be how many people tune in in early August.

24 Teams from four regions (Northeast, Midwest, South, West) will compete in a single-elimination tournament until the top 4 teams from each region remain. These 16 teams (plus last year’s Champion) will compete in the Super 17, a round played at Chicago at DePaul’s McGrath-Phillips Arena from July 23-25 (TICKETS). The top four teams left from the Super Regional will then proceed to New York City to play at Fordham’s historic Rose Hill Gym for the semifinals (live on ESPN) on August 1 and the $1,000,000 winner take all Championship Game on August 2. (TICKETS).